July 2014

It's been a very long time since we've posted anything on here! But we thought we'd add a few tidbits since we're doing more on the house now.
We are now informed by our insurance company that there are still a few things they'd like to see done to keep our insurance coverage. We think that's pretty important, so we've been working.....

Last summer we tackled the basement windows. They had been boarded shut and were deteriorating pretty badly. Dan, with the help of a friend (that always seems to be the case, doesn't it? - we're just extremely thankful for good friends!!!) tore them out. He then poured new sills and installed glass block. Does it ever look nice!

This weekend, since it's a holiday, and we seem to only be able to work holidays, we are tackling the front porch. The insurance company thought it would fall off the house. Well, after much slamming with the sledgehammer, Dan is quite sure the thing would never have just fallen off!

Here is part of the process:


Front Porch before

Side of the porch - before any sledgehammer touched it!

Dan reigning....

Some of the fun stuff we did at the same time!

Voila! Completed front porch

Resuming the Work - Patio and Side Yard

I was looking at the last posting on this blog and it was three years ago!

So we've had three years to rest up for the next phase of this journey. We have decided to put in a patio where the old deck used to be, put in a privacy fence, and make the side yard an extension of the patio.

Dan has a cement mixer and has decided he will mix and pour all of the concrete for the patio and extension.

We just finished putting up the privacy fence, and he is doing a breathing treatment. Not sure how good our odds are, but.................here are a few pics of the fence going up and completed, along with our little helper.

From the street view

The plan is to stain all the fencing around the yard the same color. Our neighbors all have fences between our yard and theirs (should we be concerned?). Since each are a bit different, we thought staining them all the same color would help bring it all together. We have the ok from one neighbor...

Also over the weekend I went to the races to watch Dave (our son in law) race for his first time. He just got the car and this was his first time on the track other than practice laps. Here are a few pictures of that evening.

Me, Adelia, and Solen

Number 37!

                                                         Aunt Laina and Aunt Gina

                                             The cousins: Gideon, Solen and Levi

Levi and T-Ball

Levi has begun playing T-Ball this year. Dave is helping coach the team. This Saturday was the first chance we got to make it to a game. Unfortunately, Levi had been sick during the week and was feeling a bit lethargic!

He did a great job though. It was fun watching these little 5 year old girls and boys play. I kept thinking, "In a few years they will be playing like pros!"

Here are a few pics of the game:


Levi waiting to bat




Dave the coach with Levi in background




Levi putting in time waiting for something to happen!




Batman joined us to watch!




Little Adalia




Now for another week - Dan's first back at work after surgery. So far, so good!

Surgery

Today was surgery on Dan's varicose veins.

We had to be at the surgical center in Walker at 6:30 a.m. They prepped him and waited for the arrival of the Dr.

It was interesting when she came in with an ultrasound machine and mapped and marked his legs where she would remove or laser veins.

They scheduled two hours but said it probably wouldn’t take that long. It took an hour and forty five minutes.

He is home resting, doing well. Thanks for all your prayers!

Here are a few pics of the day….I have his permission to put these up!







Drugs? Are they going to give me drugs?





"Yes, the drugs have kicked in, thank you!"




Veins that will be removed.




"Huh? Chew what?"





"Oh, the crackers? Ok!"






Bandaged after surgery






One sock off, one sock on....






Stockings on and ready to go!



Ok, I couldn't resist adding the following...






Solen, or as we all call him, "Soul-man"






Nate, I believe praying for his cousins!





Levi, all prayed up and eyes glowing!






The two three year olds, Gideon and Rayna - you can see the mischief in their eyes....who all the prayers are for, I believe!






Grandma and Solen - just woke up from his nap!






"Yes, Rayna, it is too small for you!"






I'm being shot by Solen...





"What did I do?" With sweet look of innocence!






Mindi's youngest, Adriel. "Do you like my hat?"



















Solen playing in the lamp stand.
The kids have all loved climbing in that and closing the door.






Rayna





Off to take care of the recovering patient!
Thanks for reading!

Thanks to all of you who signed up to follow our blog!

Fire!

I knew the minute I answered the phone and heard her voice it wasn’t the usual call, even though she just asked what I was doing.

Our oldest daughter called Sunday afternoon and asked if we could come over, there had been a fire at their house. We got a few details and headed over.

Here is what we found.



Where the shed had previously been.





Chicken Coop, now charred





Side of boat





Inside the boat


They had just gotten a new batch of baby chickens a week or two before and had them in the shed under a heat light. The light had fallen and started the fire that consumed the whole shed and everything in it. It also charred the chicken coop next to it. The heat was so intense that it even destroyed the boat that was several yards away.





Fire in progress. Someone who knew them was driving by and snapped these.





From another angle


After looking at the pictures, I was reminded of James 3:5-6 that says, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things. See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze! And the tongue is a fire. It is a world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of birth (the cycle of man’s nature), being itself ignited by hell.

Maybe we should ask ourselves what our tongue is setting on fire. Just like the fire ignited the boat even though it was yards away, if not kept in check with the Holy Spirit’s help, our tongue has the capacity to ignite anything near us.

Keep your “fire” under control!